a grand day out

Blake had permission to skip work yesterday, so we hopped on a Coney Island-bound train to show Garrett the fish at the New York Aquarium. We arrived just in time for the sea lion show in their Aquatheater. The pinniped star was about as trained as they come, and watching his tricks definitely made sitting in the hot sun to do so worth it.


Garrett's favorite part of the outing was running speedy quick from exhibit to exhibit, hardly pausing long enough to get a decent look at the creatures swimming behind the glass. My favorite part was watching him happily swinging his arms as he did so, especially when they came together in front of him in an excited clap. He may not have stayed long at each display, but he almost always had enough time to make fish faces as he tapped on the glass to prove to Blake and I that he knew what it was he was looking at.


This aquarium is not too large and, aided by Garrett's swiftness in viewing the various exhibits, it didn't take us long to see just about everything there. Before heading home, however, we walked along the Coney Island boardwalk to pick up some Nathan's Famous hot dogs for a late lunch.


It was just the sort of outing we all needed to break away from our normal week-day routines. Here's hoping we have the time and energy to do something like this again soon.

more from my kitchen

Based on how much of myself I have recently devoted to new endeavors in the kitchen, I'm thinking that I must have converted my nesting energy to cooking energy. That is the only explanation I can come up with for my sudden urge to want to be in my steamy kitchen in this muggy weather. All of my attempts so far have turned out well enough for me to want to share them with you. So put on your aprons, friends, because here we go.

Crunchy Tilapia
I found this one in a parenting magazine that keeps showing up unexplained in my mailbox. It's a keeper for sure. The tilapia tastes like fish sticks (only way, way better), so Garrett will eat it. And the tartar sauce -- oh, the tartar sauce. I think it's the lemon that makes it taste so good. The only way I can keep myself from eating the leftover sauce by itself with a spoon is to dip pretzels in it.

Lemon Tartar Sauce
1/4 cup mayo
1/3 cup sour cream
2 tbsp sweet relish
1 tsp lemon zest
salt, to taste

Fish
3/4 cup finely ground bread crumbs
1/4 cup parsley, chopped (I used a much smaller amount of dried parsley)
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tbsp milk
1 lb tilapia fillets, halved lengthwise
salt, to taste
2 tbsp oil

Stir together all ingredients for tartar sauce and set aside. Combine the bread crumbs and parsley on a dinner plate. Mix egg and milk in a bowl. Working one at a time, dip the fish fillets in the egg/milk mixture and shake off the excess, then dredge lightly in the crumb mixture. Sprinkle with salt. Heat oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add the fillets and cook until golden brown on one side, about 4 minutes. Turn and cook until fish is no longer translucent in the center, about another 4 minutes (longer if the fillets are thicker). Serve immediately, using the tartar sauce as a dip, or keep warm in a 200 degree oven.

Lemon-Raspberry Muffins
I like to make muffins occasionally to supplement our breakfast and snack menus, and I have a long list of varieties just waiting for me to attempt. These were next on the list. They turned out good, albeit a little dry, which may have been because I overmixed them a bit (so consequently the batter tasted slightly better than the muffins). I do plan to make them again someday, though.

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup cream (next time I might try substituting the cream for lemon flavored yogurt to make them both more moist and more lemony)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp lemon extract
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen raspberries

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Combine the eggs, cream, oil, and lemon extract; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in raspberries. Spoon into greased or lined muffin tins. Bake at 400 for 18-20 minutes (about 13 minutes for mini-muffins), or until golden brown.

Chocolate Chewies
I have a friend who, a few months back, started the most mouth-watering baking blog. (You all should seriously check it out. Unless, of course, you're watching your sugar intake, in which case maybe you should steer clear.) I am collecting her recipes much faster than I can create and consume them. At any rate, this one came from her, and it definitely lived up to her baking reputation. The batter tasted like something from See's Candies, so you can just imagine what the actual cookie was like. Also? They were super easy to whip up. Always a bonus in my book.

1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
2 tbsp butter, melted
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup chopped nuts (I usually bake with walnuts, but at her recommendation, I used pecans.)

Preheat oven to 325. Melt the chocolate chips and butter together slowly, either over double boiler or in the microwave. Remove from heat and add sweetened condensed milk. Add the rest of the ingredients and combine. Drop by spoonfuls on a greased cookie sheet. Bake for 15 minutes.

Basic Hummus
One of the beautiful things I've discovered in this city is hummus. Unfortunately, buying it ready-made at the store gets a little pricey, especially considering that it's basically just mashed up chickpeas. So I decided to try making my own. I found a basic recipe online and adapted it as I went along. For a first try, it wasn't too bad, if I may say so. I only wish that I could coax my blender into acting more like the food processor I don't have so I could process the chickpeas to a smoother consistency. I plan to make this again, experimenting with different supplemental ingredients to see what other varieties I can come up with (a sun-dried tomato and basil hummus is high on that list).

2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed/chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
1 (15 oz) can chickpeas (a.k.a. garbanzo beans), drained, with liquid reserved
1 tbsp sesame seeds
salt and pepper, to taste
lemon juice, to taste
basil, to taste

In a small skillet, cook the garlic in olive oil until tender, about 3 minutes. Place chickpeas in a blender/food processor with a small amount of reserved liquid. Process until smooth. Mix in garlic, sesame seeds, salt and pepper. Blend to desired consistency, increasing the amount of reserved chickpea liquid and lemon juice as desired. Blend in basil. Chill in refrigerator until serving.

So, who's hungry?

34 weeks

I've been reluctant to post a picture of my pregnant self, but I've had a handful of requests that I do anyway. Apparently I either give in easily or I truly do love you all (or both) because here you go -- me, my belly, and Garrett's head:


I am 34 weeks now, and the only way that number sounds nice is when I reverse it a bit to say that I only have 6 weeks left. I may not look enormous, but I certainly feel it. I learned yesterday at my doctor's appointment that, believe it or not, I am carrying a slightly larger than normal baby in there. My pants, for one, are starting to feel the strain -- they keep ripping at the waist, and it's a good thing we're nearing the finish line because I'm not sure how many more times I can mend them. These days I am worn out and uncomfortable. Long gone are the nights when I slept decently, and between all the Braxton-Hicks contractions, the various nerves being used as a punching bag by this baby, pinched off circulation, heartburn, and swollen body parts, I hurt a lot. The sweltering July heat and humidity are not helping matters.

Point of no return or not, I think I am ready to have this baby living on my outside rather than my inside.

It's a good thing, I suppose, that I've slowly been ticking things off of my Baby's Coming to-do list. I've washed all the baby clothes, blankets, and other linens. I've sent in my hospital pre-registration form. I'm pretty sure we have a ride to the hospital and care for Garrett arranged for while we're there. In the next week or two we'll set up the cradle and I'll buy some tiny diapers to go alongside Garrett's enormous ones. And, because of an incredibly helpful registration hotline operator, I've been able to move my original September 1st date for a tour of the Labor and Delivery unit of the hospital up to a spot in the second week of August. (September 1st was just cutting things a little too close.)

So, 6 more weeks. Or, if he truly loves me and follows in his older brother's footsteps, only 4 more weeks. Either way, the end is in sight, and I am happy about that.

bbbbbbbbb*

*I couldn't think of a clever title, so I let Garrett help. Apparently he likes the letter B.

I must be losing my mind because lately it's been hot hot hot and horribly humid and yet I keep turning on my oven to bake things. Perhaps, though, I'm not too far gone -- the brownies we ate over the weekend were incredibly worth it.

Chocolate Pudding Brownies
1 small box instant chocolate pudding
2 cups milk
1 box chocolate cake mix
2 cups chocolate chips

Mix pudding according to package directions. When it begins to thicken, pour in dry cake mix. Mix well (batter will be thick). Spread in greased 9x13 pan. Sprinkle chocolate chips over the top. Bake at 350 for 35 minutes.

I honestly cannot think of an easier way to get to heaven.

Speaking of getting places, I spent a portion of this weekend venturing into boroughs unknown (i.e. Staten Island) to attend a stake primary activity. I had to take the bus over the bridge to get there, which was an adventure by itself, and, thanks to a bus driver who, at my request, remembered to announce my stop, I didn't even get lost. Staten Island, I discovered, is an awful lot more like New Jersey than the city's other four boroughs, and one of the more obvious clues was the fact that the S.I. chapel the activity was held at had a lawn that appeared to be bigger than our Brooklyn chapel and parking lot combined.

Ah, grass. Such a beautiful thing. And perfect for the Pioneer Day-esque games we played with the kids, as well as for the picnic lunch we all scarfed down afterward. The only thing that could have made the location better would have been some large shade trees to block out that ruthless sun we baked in.

I directed the kids in a three-legged race, but first I had to teach these city-dwellers what the heck a three-legged race was because most of them had no idea. That was entertaining, as was watching them try to compete. No one seemed to grasp my repeated hinting of the concept of walking in sync, and we therefore had more children piling up on the grass than crossing the finish line. Ah well. They seemed to enjoy themselves anyway.

deja vu

Lest you think you've seen this before, let me do a bit of clarifying:

Different playground. Different slide. And this time the added awesomeness of super staticky hair.

applesauce muffins

This morning Garrett and I attempted a new muffin recipe. They turned out really good -- moistly sweet and slightly sticky. And they were incredibly easy to whip up. We can hardly stop eating them.

Applesauce Muffins

1/4 cup butter, melted
2 cups flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1 can (16 oz) applesauce (I was finishing up a much larger jar of applesauce and put in about 1 1/2 cups)
nuts, chopped (optional) (I put in some walnuts)

Mix together all ingredients except nuts. Fold in nuts. Grease or line muffin tins. Fill 2/3 full. Bake at 375 for 20 minutes (about 13 minutes for mini muffins).

growing

After it had been canceled and rescheduled three times because of the doctor's vacation schedule, this afternoon I finally was able to take Garrett in for his two-year well check-up. (That's the trouble, I suppose, with a late June birthday. All of his twice-annual check-ups occur either during summer vacations or Christmas.) At any rate, he did remarkably well and kept his tears and fears of the doctor's poking and prodding to a minimum. Here's how he's measuring up these days:

Height: 35 inches
Weight: 26 lbs 4 oz

The doctor commented both that he's quite the tall little boy -- only one inch shy of three feet! -- and that he has gained weight well over the last six months, which leads me to believe that, despite frequent mealtime behavior to the contrary, he has in fact been eating. He also received two immunization boosters, which weren't fun, but which he handled in a manner appropriate for the big boy he's become.

Speaking both of being big boy and boosters, today was a red-letter day in the growing up department. After noticing a preference for sitting in chairs at the dinner table rather than in his high chair, yesterday we purchased him a booster seat. (Yes, Mom, it's the same kind he sat in at your house. What can I say? You have good taste.) We tried it out this morning at breakfast. It took a little bit of convincing to sway him away from his high chair, but once he realized that his food would be where the booster seat was, he quickly changed his mind. In fact, after three meals eaten like a big boy at the table, he seems to really like the new arrangement.

Just look at that abandoned high chair stashed behind him. We won't be needing much of that for the next several months.

they let him drive what?!

My younger brother, Riley, is spending his summer in Wisconsin doing a transportation logistics internship with the trucking company Schneider National. Though I'm not entirely sure why (maybe because they're crazy? Because if you know Riley...), they let him and his fellow intern get behind the wheel of one of their semis to take it for a spin around a parking lot. Photos were taken, and subsequently snatched from his Facebook page by yours truly because honestly, this was too good not to share.



He mastered the parking lot. Next up: the interstate. Well, maybe not quite yet. But really, who needs a desk job when you can look this cool behind the wheel of a big orange semi truck?

a mini family reunion

Saturday was a busy and family-filled day. For a variety of reasons, nearly the entire Eastern contingent of relatives on my mother's side were in New Jersey this weekend, and we got to spend the day with them.

In the morning we met up with some of them for some adventures in the city. Because our group consisted mainly of young boys, our activities were geared to entertain them. First up was a ride on the Staten Island Ferry, followed by lunch at a pizzeria in Lower Manhattan. Squeezed in between we got a bit of a history lesson as we walked past both the Fraunces Tavern, on Pearl Street (where George Washington gave his farewell address to his Revolutionary War soldiers), an 18th century cistern which was once filled with, along with water, discarded 18th century artifacts (aka: 18th century garbage), and the foundation for the tavern owned by a 17th century governor of the territory. Our stomachs full, we then rode the train to Midtown for our final Manhattan destination: FAO Schwarz, where everyone oohed and aahed over the goodness to be found in this spectactular toy store.

Those traveling into the city from New Jersey drove in cars, and luckily they left room enough for us to join them for the return trip. Back at the home base, we jumped into our swimming suits and headed down to the lakefront beach in my aunt and uncle's neighborhood. It was a beautiful day -- perfect for a little dip in the water. Even Garrett thought so, though it took quite a bit of coaxing to get him in there.

In the evening we dined on a delicious picnic dinner in the backyard. While the adults lingered longer at the table, the kids roamed about the yard playing. Though Garrett has an adorable second cousin who is just his age named Lucy Rose, he preferred to hang out with the bigger boys, especially the 4-year-olds, Rees and William, who happily took him under their wings. They played in the hammock, with the baseball and bat, and lounged in the lawn chairs eating ice cream.

At the end of the evening we caught a bus back into the city, and, after riding a series of very slow subway trains, finally arrived back home, happy and exhausted. Even though my aching body is still recovering from all the fun, there's no denying that we had a great time. It was so nice to be in the company of the branches of family who have taken such good care of us while we've leaved in the East: Dwight and Bethany and their boys (which were added to last fall by the most adorable identical twin brothers I've ever met), who we'd get to see occasionally while we lived in Muncie; and Joel and Colleen, who let us escape to them when city life gets to be too much.

And now, because what fun is a post with photos to accompany it, here's a visual sampling of the day:

Garrett, Rees, and William looking at the Statue of Liberty from the Staten Island Ferry

Rees tickling -- err, I mean, introducing himself to Garrett


Fraunces Tavern


Swimming in the lake (Garrett's in the neon green getting tossed into the air by Blake)


Picnic dinner


Rees and Garrett playing baseball


Garrett and Lucy Rose

eco-tip #1

Well, so much for that beautiful weather that was not miserably hot. The heat and humidity of summer have made their presence known here in Brooklyn, and I'm feeling all sticky as a result. It's a good thing I have an eco-friendly child who, every time he walks past one, feels the need to turn off the fans I have carefully placed around the apartment in order to attain the perfect artificial breeze. Or something like that. If only it was as entertaining for him to turn the fans on as it is apparently to turn them off.

Speaking of eco-friendly -- economically-friendly, not environmentally-friendly, that is -- I've decided that this recession has gone on long enough with me just standing idly by waiting for it to end. While I don't have much say in what the stock markets are doing, I do have a say in how to handle the consequences that occasionally wreak enough havoc in my personal life so as to induce a slight financial panic attack. This is why, after a friend suggested the idea to me, I will occasionally post some of my methods for achieving my goal to maintain a well-kept, frugal home. These ideas will vary in topic, from those of a financial nature to the down-right nitty-gritty details of regular housekeeping. You might find some of these ideas useful, and others might not apply to your personal or family needs. Still more might make you scratch your head as you wonder if I stole the idea from you (in which case, be flattered, because apparently I've deemed it a wonderful idea). Feel free to adopt these Eco-Tips as your own situation warrants the usefulness of them.

Let's get things started on the right foot, shall we, with

Eco-Tip #1: Make your bed every day

Mom was right. There's something about a crisply made bed that makes the rest of a day easier to tackle. The bed, especially in a small apartment like ours, is the focal point of a bedroom, and when the linens on it are smoothed instead of crumpled, it has this way of making the rest of the room, however cluttered it might be, look quite a bit cleaner. It only takes a few minutes to do. And it might even inspire you to pick up those clothes and shoes that haven't yet made their way back to your closet.

prince of the playground

We've had some beautiful weather this month -- warm and sunny (finally!), but not miserably hot. In an effort to take advantage of the higher temperatures, we held our playgroup this week at a park with sprinklers. Knowing how much Garrett loved the sprinklers last year, I got him all dressed in his swim gear and talked up the frog-shaped water fountains during our walk there. But, true to form, Garrett was not one bit interested in anything wet and watery once we arrived. (I should have known.) So instead he spent the next couple of hours running around in his swim suit and flip flops proving to me that he's become an independent little boy on what used to be daunting playground equipment.

and i thought july would be a more mellow month

Apparently I was wrong.

I kept telling myself as I plugged my way through May and June that if I could just make it past the 4th of July holiday, life would settle down some and there would be more time to relax. If anything, though, I feel busier. Doctors appointments for both me and Garrett; preparations for Number Two's arrival; projects I'd like to wrap up before the baby comes; Primary crises and other things my church calling requires that I take care of. And let's not even mention the day-to-day stuff that needs my attention -- cooking, cleaning, outings to the park with Garrett. If it wasn't for my new best friend, Alexander McCall Smith, and his prolific array of novels that my library keeps feeding me, as well as our recently acquired copy of the live action version of 101 Dalmations, which keeps Garrett entranced, I think I'd go crazy. At any rate, here's a sampling of what's been keeping me on my toes these days:

- Every few days I've had some routine medical thing to take care of. Early last week it was taking Garrett in for blood work in preparation for his upcoming 2-year well check-up. I'm pleased to report that he was very brave: he cried when it was expected of him, but, more importantly, he didn't cry until the needle actually poked his arm, and he stopped as soon as it was out.

- Last Friday I went in for another ultrasound, this time to get an estimate of the baby's current weight. At 32 weeks, I've got a healthy 4 lb 7 oz little boy who, I'm happy to say, is no longer breech. He turned sometime in the last week, and good grief, can I tell the difference! I think that being upside-down has put him in a better position to make his movements more apparent and more alien-like. If anyone wants a good show, just stare at my belly and watch it twist and contort as this baby squirms into a more comfortable position.

- Today was another regular OB check up. Everything still looks fine. The doctor, though, admonished me that it was time to map out a route to the hospital and arrange for Garrett's care while I'm off having a baby. So I'll probably be getting in touch soon with a few of you Brooklyn locals for help in these regards. :)

- On Saturday we babysat Garrett's girlfriend, Elizabeth. We all had a good time, but, as you can see below, Garrett was in heaven.

(Click on the picture to view the video.)

- We've been wanting to get a few things framed and up on our walls, and are finally in a position to do so. In my spare time I've been learning the ins and outs of do-it-yourself framing. It's a complicated process for a first-timer like me, but I'm hoping that the end results are worth all the running around I'm doing now.

All right, well, enough for now. It's time to work on dinner. I'll see you all again the next time I've got my head above water.

big boy

He's only been two for just over a week, but already Garrett is starting to act more grown up. Here are a few things he does now that are more big boy than baby:

- He recognizes home, and when we've just about reached our corner after errands on foot around the neighborhood, he lets go of my hand and runs the rest of the way to our building. On those times when he's too fast for me to keep up, he'll wait for me (and my keys) on the stoop, beaming proudly that he beat me there.

- Yesterday, after I told him that if he wanted to go outside, he needed to be wearing shoes, he dug his sandals out of his dresser, took off his socks (because 1) he'd been wearing sneakers earlier in the day, and 2) even at his tender age, he understands not to wear socks with sandals), and tried to put them on himself. They were backwards and on the wrong feet, but effort definitely counts for this one.

- He's starting to jump. It is rare that he gets both feet off the ground at the same time. But he spends countless hours practicing in the event that one day it'll happen.

- He's accepting more responsibility around the house. His special jobs include putting his dirty diapers and other small pieces of garbage into the trash can, putting empty sippy cups into the sink, putting his dirty clothes in the hamper and helping me sort them all in preparation for laundry day, and cleaning up his toys.

- And speaking of responsibility, the other day we found a leak in our bathroom ceiling, and as Blake and I have been making sure that the problem is getting taken care of, Garrett has taken it upon himself to periodically check the drip site to make sure that everything is okay.

- Apparently two-year-olds who don't know how to say the words to songs can still get those songs stuck in their heads. Over the last few days I've caught Garrett "singing" various songs over and over by doing the actions. His favorites include "Popcorn Popping" (which he also occasionally adds instrumental accompaniment on his toy xylophone), "Do As I'm Doing," "Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed," "The Itsy Bitsy Spider," and a nonsense song he learned at Story Time called "Ram-Sam-Sam."

- Like most very young children, he mimics what he sees others do. Lately he's taken this ability to a professional level. I can't complain because it translates to a concerted effort to try to talk more. And that has been making all of us happier.

stair trick

Act One: Blake

Act Two: Garrett

a finished blanket for baby number two

Quilting credits:

Lindsay (me) - idea, purchase of fabric, sewing of quilt top
Colleen (my aunt) - guided instruction on the cutting of border fabric
Katie (my sister) - connection to quilting machine, binding
Cammie (Katie's friend) - machine quilting
Nancy (my mom) - purchase of better binding fabric

Thank you, everyone! I think it turned out beautifully!

in the neighborhood: movie set

They're filming a movie in my neighborhood, and today's location spot is three blocks from our apartment. As I passed the film set on my way to the bank this afternoon, I didn't spot anyone famous (though this movie apparently boasts such notable names as Bruce Willis and Tracy Morgan, among others), but the commotion of a very busy and very large film crew, with their hair and make-up trailers, clipboards, and fancy earpieces, was pretty exhilarating anyway. It's not every day someone shoots a movie in your neighborhood -- even in New York City.

the third five

11. The Moonflower Vine by Jetta Carleton

This is a lost classic that is back in print after its original publication in the 1960s. It follows the story of the Soames family of Western Missouri during the first half of the 20th century. It's divided into sections, each one devoted to the point of view of a specific family member, that build on each other as the story's timeline progresses. Though it took me a little while to get into it and used to Carleton's writing style, by the middle I was hooked. The end, with its twist that left a few particularly heated issues up in the air, was fabulous. It is rare, I think, to read about seemingly ordinary people with absolutely fascinating lives, but The Moonflower Vine does just that.

12. Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson

This book, which delves into the intricacies of a life of transience, was very interesting. It's the story of two girls who, after their mother kills herself, are raised first by their grandmother, and ultimately by their eccentric aunt who makes an attempt to leave behind her hobo ways to take care of her nieces. She's not, however, incredibly successful at settling down, and it was interesting to watch how one of the girls follows her aunt, while the other opts for a more "normal" lifestyle. It's a pretty philosophical read, but so beautifully written.

13. The Number 1 Ladies' Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith

My mom has been telling me for some time now that I really needed to just jump on board with this series, so I was glad when my friend and I decided to read it for our little book club. After reading (and absolutely loving) McCall Smith's Portuguese Irregular Verbs series, I had a feeling I'd enjoy this bestseller, and by only a few pages into it, I realized why everyone who reads this falls in love with Mma Ramotswe and her Number 1 Ladies' Detective Agency -- the only one of its kind in all of Botswana. The characters are endearing, the humor is subtle, and the issues it raises are tenderly dealt with. I've already read the second book in the series (which will be discussed in a future book report), and I plan to continue on with the rest.

14. 44 Scotland Street by Alexander McCall Smith

This is another series by McCall Smith that is also full of interesting characters and subtle humor. It was originally written and published as a serial novel in a Scottish newspaper; consequently the chapters are very short and, until you get more into the stories of the different characters (who all live in the same apartment building), it has a rather choppy feel to it. Don't let that deter you, though -- it's definitely worth reading and finishing. The storyline of Bertie, the 5-year-old boy genius and his nutty mother, Irene, is probably the best one, though I also came away a big fan of Domenica. At any rate, I'm currently reading the second in this series and, like with the Number 1 Ladies' Detective Agency books, plan to continue on with the rest. Alexander McCall Smith is addicting like that.

15. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

If you pay any attention at all to what's making the book club circuit these days, you've probably heard of this book. The story, about the Nazi occupation of the Channel Island of Guernsey, is told entirely through letters -- an element which had me hooked before I even started. It always amazes me how well you can learn about and grow to love a handful of characters simply by reading their mail. If you have not already joined the "I've Read This Book" club (I myself was late to hop on this bandwagon), then you really need to drop everything and get your hands on a copy. You won't be sorry.

a rocket in my pocket

I've got a rocket
In my pocket;
I cannot stop to play.
Away it goes!
I've burned my toes.
It's Independence Day!

-Anonymous

We did our best this year to celebrate the 4th of July like New Yorkers. First we had a BBQ picnic at a local park with some friends. It wouldn't be Brooklyn if it wasn't over-crowded with people of all cultures celebrating America's independence, but we managed to carve a space for ourselves on the grass at the edge of the park. Owl's Head Park, with it's nice views of the New York Harbor and, when the winds shifted, its smells from the nearby waste treatment plant was, despite the occasional discomforts, a great place for a picnic, and we had a really fun time.

In the evening, we took a brief walk down our street to the promenade along the bay to watch the fireworks. This year, the big Macy's fireworks show moved from its usual location on the East River over to the Hudson, which made them a little more difficult for us to see from this spot. But we got a good show just the same. Not only did we see about three of the six barges worth of those fireworks, we also saw the display coming Liberty State Park along the New Jersey shore. They were all far away from where we stood to watch, but it was still pretty impressive. Here are a few pictures (that someone else took) of what was lighting up our sky last night:

Our holiday activities weren't exactly like those of the Freedom Festival that I loved growing up, but we still thoroughly enjoyed celebrating my favorite holiday. If I can't be in Provo for the 4th of July, New York City is a mighty fine alternative.

baby update

I had another doctor's appointment the other day -- I've been bumped up from monthly visits to checking in every two weeks. Everything is looking good except for the fact that the baby is currently breech. Hopefully two more months is enough time for this kid to find the desire and kick it in gear to turn himself around.

While there have so far been no major complications, this pregnancy has felt more challenging than my first one. Perhaps this is because I have to walk everywhere I need to go, or maybe it's because I'm simultaneously caring for a very active toddler. Maybe it's the fact that this time around various aspects of reality are more demanding and require more attention from me, or it could just be these blasted Braxton-Hicks contractions that I get all the time, making this third trimester extremely uncomfortable and oftentimes painful. Whatever the reason, I'm just about ready for this pregnancy to be over. Two more months. Can I do this for two more months?

But enough whining. The third trimester is difficult and uncomfortable for everyone. Here are some of the things that I'm enjoying:

• Except for when they induce contractions, I love feeling the baby's squirms and kicks. Sometimes it feels like his tiny fingers are grabbing at my insides and it tickles.
• He gets the hiccups once or twice a day, which I think is funny.
• The whole "baby brother" reality is starting to click a little with Garrett. He has recently started to say "baby, baby" as he points to my belly. (And then his fingers move north to those two other bumps which he is also convinced are babies.)
• Blake has always been a helpful husband, but lately he has been especially so, which in the evenings, when all I have energy to do is crash on the nearest soft surface, has been very, very nice. He'll even let me hog the entire couch when we're lounging in front of the TV.

The topic of full moons and their effect on births has come up in an oddly large amount of conversations I've been a part of lately. Even though Garrett made his grand appearance just over two weeks early and under a full moon, I've never really taken much stock in this strand of folklore. But even so, I decided to check to see when the nearest full moon to my due date would be. A little research told me that it will be Friday, September 4th at precisely 12:03 pm EST. Because of my experience with Garrett, I was curious to see at what minute the moon was full over Muncie, Indiana, so I looked and was quite surprised to learn that on June 30, 2007 it came at 9:50 am -- right about the same time that labor for his birth began. Spooky, no?

What does this all mean? Probably nothing, really. After all, no two pregnancies are exactly the same, and how much influence can the moon really have and twice in a row? But if anyone asks me when I think this baby will come, I'll most likely tell them September 4th around noon. If anyone asks Blake his date guess, he'll tell you sometime in August. I guess we'll see what happens.

california

So. California. We packed a busy schedule into just a few days, and did a lot of driving in unpredictable L.A. traffic (our hotel and half of the wedding festivities were in the San Bernardino Valley while the rest of our activities were closer to the coast). Here are some of the highlights of the trip, as well as a sprinkling of photos.

The Happiest Place on Earth?

Our first full day there was spent at Disneyland. I'll be honest -- I was hesitant about this activity. Doing a lot of walking around a theme park in your seventh month of pregnancy, and with an unpredictable toddler to boot, doesn't exactly top my list of how to have a fantastic time. I'm happy to report, however, that we all had a great time, though it did take Garrett a while to warm up to all that Disney magic. This is what he did during most of the rides we took him on:

panicking his way through Dumbo and It's a Small World

He did eventually come around, though the aspects of the park that he was most comfortable with surprised me. The first ride he didn't scream on was Pirates of the Caribbean (a ride which, according to my parents, really freaked me out when I was little), and I can't even begin to describe how much he loved the dressed-up Disney characters wandering around the grounds. We saw both Goofy and Mickey Mouse and with both visits Garrett was all grins. He even gave them each a hug.

By the end of the day, we were all ready to crash. Garrett was the first one who did, just in time for a quick dinner on our way back to the hotel:


The Getty Villa

Blake really wanted to visit this Malibu museum just off the Pacific Coast Highway, and the rest of us tagged along. The Villa, as opposed to the Getty's main campus a few miles away, houses only their antiquities collection. The actual museum building was modeled after the Villa dei Papiri, a Roman country house buried -- and never completely excavated -- in the A.D. 79 eruption of Mt. Vesuvius. It was beautiful, with marble halls, incredible gardens, and amazing views of the Pacific Ocean. Our favorite part of the visit, however, just might have been their Family Forum Room -- a place for children to learn about ancient Greece and Rome in a hands-on sort of way. I, for one, was not about to refuse anything they might have to offer to keep my little boy from destroying priceless ancient artifacts and screaming at the top of his lungs.

Sunset Boulevard

Well, technically it was Hollywood Blvd, a few blocks away, to see the sidewalk stars along the Hollywood Walk of Fame, but it was as we were pulling away from our parking spot after a bit of sightseeing that the news was breaking of Michael Jackson's untimely death. But before we learned the sad news (and spent the next 2 1/2 hours in stop-and-go rush hour traffic with Michael Jackson classics as our only radio option), we had some fun walking up and down the boulevard. Highlights included the stars and views of the Oscar-famed Kodak Theater and the mountain-side Hollywood sign. Lowlights included the fact that, because of a premier scheduled for that evening at Grauman's Chinese Theater, nearly all of the cemeted handprints and signatures of the stars were blocked off.

Braving the Hotel Swimming Pool

We had only a few moments of leisure time, and those were usually spent in the hotel swimming pool. Having invested in a maternity swimsuit, I was eager to take a dip. Garrett, unfortunately, did not share my sentiments. The first time we attempted a swim, it was just Garrett and I. It lasted about 10 minutes of panicked screaming. We tried again a couple days later, this time with Blake. Between the two of us we were able to tag-team and ultimately got Garrett into the water and having a marvelous time.


The Wedding

The reason we went to Southern California in the first place was to participate in the wedding of Blake's brother, Eric, and his bride, Kiersten, and not surprisingly, celebrating them was how we spent the bulk of our time. The wedding dinner was a casual barbeque complete with a pinata. The actual ceremony took place in the Los Angeles Temple, and the reception following was held in the bride's backyard. Everything was beautiful (including the fact that Garrett happily stayed outside under his Aunt Brittany's care while we were witnessing the sealing), and the happy couple seemed to be relieved that their day had finally come. Here are a few photos of the wedding festivities:

And, well, that's about it. We flew home the day after the wedding and, joy of joys, Garrett behaved incredibly well given the 6 hour flight. And even though reality started slapping us in the face shortly after we arrived home, we're happy to be back.

(For those of you who were hoping for more pictures -- and believe you me, there are so, so many more -- you can see them on my June Picasa page.)

birthday bash, toddler style

I'm not too sure how much Garrett grasped that yesterday was his special day. Every time I'd wish him a happy birthday he'd cock his head and look at me like I was crazy. Even so, he was generally a very happy boy as we spent our day together celebrating.

In the morning we made cupcakes: chocolate with chocolate frosting and topped with M&Ms, his favorite candy. Garrett helped me by putting the paper liners in the muffin tin and licking the bowl -- he was really good at licking that bowl.

Later, he got to talk to both of his grandmas on the phone. Well, he did much more listening than talking (he tends to freeze up when the phone's for him), but he grinned through their brief conversations and happy birthday wishes.

Most of the day was pretty low-key as we spent a lot of time preparing and saving our energy (well, my energy, anyway) for a birthday party once Blake got home from work. But before any of the evening festivities could begin, there of course had to be an incident. This one happened to involve Garrett standing and leaning back on a kitchen chair which ultimately toppled over. Garrett walked away with a bloody mouth and a very bruised finger; part of the chair back snapped into two pieces. We all survived, however, and as soon as Blake was home, we sat down to one of Garrett's favorite dinners: meatloaf and ketchup, both of which he wolfed right down.

After dinner it was party time. We started with the presents. This year Garrett didn't need any prompting at all to know what to do:


And in between each present, he had to sit and play with it for a while:


Ultimately, he came away with a stockpile o' fun that should hopefully last him a while. Last week, while we were in California, his Grandma Joyce and Grandpa Gary gave him a new outfit and a new pair of [much-needed] pajamas, as well as a bit of money to spend at the toy store. I'm sure he'll have a great time picking something out. Grandma Nancy and Grandpa Dave sent two new board books (Sandra Boynton's Blue Hat, Green Hat and the sliding board book Inside Freight Train) and a chunky transportation puzzle (which he loves). From Blake and I he got a Mr. Potato Head and a set of Magneatos magnet blocks. Oh, and his great-grandparents on Blake's side sent a nice card that included a few balloons which we blew up and which he has thoroughly enjoyed tossing around the house. On Garrett's behalf, I want to thank everyone for thinking of him on his special day. I'm sure he'd thank you all himself, but he's still trying to figure out this talking business.

We left the livingroom a wrapping paper-filled mess in favor of the kitchen for cake, candles, and ice cream. Garrett likes to blow on things, so we figured he'd really enjoy blowing out his two birthday candles. We were right, and ended up letting him repeat the process three times in a row because he kept begging for more.

Aside from blowing out the candles, the M&Ms topping his cupcake along with his bowl of ice cream were his favorites. Turns out he doesn't so much care for the cake, which I suppose shouldn't surprise me too much, given last year's frosting fiasco.


He didn't want to go to bed, but then, what kid wants to go to bed on his birthday? I think it's safe to say, though, that Garrett had a great day. Here's to many fun months before we get to party like this again!